US imposes sanctions on Chinese and Russian companies for supporting Iranian missile programme
NEW DELHI, Nov 28: The United States of America on Friday imposed sanctions on four companies from China and one from Russia for helping Iran in its missile development program.
The US has already imposed many sanctions on Iran for developing nuclear arms to stop it from developing nuclear weapons.
About the sanctions on Chinese and Russian companies, the US secretary of state Mike Pompeo said, “The US has sanctioned four entities in China and Russia for their support of Iran’s missile programme, which remains a significant proliferation concern. We will continue to use all our sanctions tools to prevent Iran from advancing its missile capabilities,”
The four Chinese companies are: Chengdu Best New Materials Co Ltd, Zibo Elim Trade Co Ltd, Nilco Group, which is also known as Nil Fam Khazar Company and Santers Holding.
Joint Stock Company Elecon is from Russia.
According to the US – These companies were transferring sensitive technology and items to Iran’s missile programme. President Donald Trump withdrew the US from the landmark Iran nuclear deal in 2018 and threatened all the countries to reduce their purchase of oil from Iran to zero or face secondary sanctions.
Iran, however, claimed that its nuclear programme was for peaceful purposes.
Pompeo said, “All countries needed to be vigilant to efforts by Iran to advance its missile programme. These measures are part of our response to Iran’s malign activities. These determinations underscore the continuing need for all countries to remain vigilant to efforts by Iran to advance its missile programme.
“We will continue to work to impede Iran’s missile development efforts and use our sanctions authorities to spotlight the foreign suppliers, such as these entities in the People’s Republic of China and Russia that provide missile-related materials and technology to Iran,” he said.
Pompeo said the imposition of sanctions against these foreign entities was consistent with the efforts of the US to use all available measures to prevent Iran from advancing its missile capabilities.
(Vinayak Barot)
